이 기사는 2020년 03월 10일 08시00분 thebell에 표출된 기사입니다

South Korea’s internet giant Kakao Corp. (Kakao) has successfully attracted a series of investments from financial investors (FIs) to enter a new market. The investors are betting on the company’s expandability and growth potential.

Kakao issued 20 billion won worth of redeemable convertible preference shares (RCPS) of its virtual experience service developer Kakao VX. The country’s mid-sized private equity (PE) firm Q Capital Partners bet 20 billion won on the company. The proceeds were used to invest in a new business.

Kakao VX, a subsidiary of Kakao Games, is aggressively expanding its business using Kakao’s technology and platforms, beyond providing software to indoor golf simulator franchise. For example, the company launched Kakao golf booking service, which uses conversational artificial intelligence (AI) to provide optimal customized information ranging from reservation and payment to transport. Customers can talk to a chatbot through KakaoTalk, the country's top mobile messenger, and the booking service will be connected to Kakao's mobile payment and other services.

Kakao is also putting efforts into developing Kakao VX as a sportech (sports and technology) company. Kakao VX is currently providing users of LG Uplus with the ‘smart’ at-home workout service mounted with AI and augmented reality (AR) technologies, powered by fifth-generation (5G) networks. Market watchers say the service may experience an explosive growth if the country’s largest platform provider Kakao connects the service with Kakao’s other platforms or services that other companies provide.

Stage Five, a 5G service affiliate of Kakao, raised 39 billion won from a newly-formed PE firm Water Bear Capital by issuing RCPS. The company aims to unveil its own pricing plan for 5G services by connecting Kakao’s various platform services, which range from music streaming service (Melon) to mobility (Kakao Taxi, etc.), and KT’s 5G networks.

Kakao Games’ developing subsidiary Friends Games raised 11 billion won via third-party allocation. Kakao Games is a game-developing and publishing subsidiary of Kakao. In 2016, Kakao Page, a mobile content platform of Kakao, received 125 billion won from Anchor Equity Partners.

Kakao plans to raise funds from financial investors for its short-term growth without additional borrowing, and aims to attract money for the longer-term growth after its initial public offering. Financial investors have seemingly bet on the company’s potential as the company owns a wide range of platforms.

(By reporter Kim Hye-ran)